Case Number 15664

W. (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

A life misunderestimated.

Opening Statement

Oliver Stone is known as a "biased" filmmaker, and W. is one of the
most polarizing figures to emerge in the modern era, so I think it only fair
that I begin with my own prejudices towards the man. I'm convinced that the Bush
administration significantly mismanaged nearly every single major operation it
undertook, curtailing civil rights and wasting money on the illusion of victory
in the Middle East while deceiving U.S. citizens and the world about both
motives and facts. I don't think that George W. Bush is personally responsible
for every evil his administration perpetrated, but I think he symbolizes a
dangerously reckless attitude towards the world at large that, frankly, scares
me.

Oliver Stone, known as a liberal in most circles, seems like the perfect
person to skewer Bush in the waning days of his administration with this biopic,
W. However, the case is not so cut and dried. Instead of an outright
crucifixion of Bush, Stone opts for a subtle approach, allowing the president's
actions to speak for themselves. It makes for a relatively satisfying film
cinematically, but offers only the dimmest insight into the Bush presidency or
Stone's view on this era.

Facts of the Case

Most of the plot of W. centers around the days leading up to the
invasion of Iraq following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Between the strategy
sessions of George W. Bush (Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men), we get
glimpses into his earlier life as a frat guy, a failed businessman, and
eventually governor of Texas as he tries to win the approval of George H.W. Bush
(James Cromwell, L.A. Confidential).

The Evidence

Most good biopics have a strong "take" on the life they present. In
the case of W., Stone seems to present Colin Powell as the knight in
shining armor who gives the voice of reason on invading Iraq. On the other side,
Dick Cheney is the film's villain, offering a hard line on terrorism,
consequences be damned. Stuck in the middle is simple George, whose real
ambition is to impress his distant, impossibly successful father. Although W.
tells his wife (after losing his first bid for office) that he'll never be
out-Christianed or out-Texased again, the film plays Bush's late-life religious
conversion and sobriety seriously, representing Bush as a man of faith who prays
after every meeting with his staff. However, the film also doesn't flinch when
it comes to some of Bush's more famous verbal missteps, like "I'm the
decider," and "misunderestimated."

What reads as balanced on the page comes off as sluggish on the screen.
While watching I got the feeling that if any particular scene went on for an
extra beat, Bush would crucify himself, but the film never lets him go off the
rails like that. In many ways this feels like Oliver Stone-lite, where all the
pieces are assembled to slaughter Bush's legacy, but they're never brought into
play. Instead the film focuses on Bush's daddy issues. A number of reviews I've
seen claim that W. becomes sympathetic through this film's portrayal, but I have
to disagree. His disturbing blend of born-again Christianity and patriarchal
disapproval make W. an understandable, but not sympathetic figure. Even if
Stone's motive is to make this titanic figure understandable, to render his
motives transparent, the film fails by refusing to include any of the paranoid
suspicions that drove JFK. Even though W. is the obvious puppet of Cheney
in this film, the story offers no other motive than the attempt to gain
approval, and that just seems implausible in the face of all the history
surrounding the invasion of Iraq.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

A biopic that fails to provide a compelling portrait of its subject should
probably be consigned to the dustbin of history. This would be W.'s fate
if it weren't for two significant facts:

Oliver Stone knows where to put a camera and edit a picture. There's little
of flash viewers have come to expect from films like The Doors or
JFK, but the camera movements and editing of W. suggest the sure
hand of a master. Even though I was less than impressed with the
characterization of W., I was never bored by the pace of the film or the lack of
something interesting to look at.

Oliver Stone knows how to attract talented actors. There's been some talk
before, but with W. Josh Brolin enters the upper echelon of film actors.
This performance is flawless in every single way and deserves to be mentioned in
the same breath with astonishing performances like De Niro as Travis Bickle.
Luckily, Brolin (like Oswald, Stone might say) is not acting alone. Elizabeth
Banks plays a stunning Laura Bush, making it plausible that someone would marry
W. for anything other than money or political expediency. James Cromwell is
suitably imperious as Bush Sr., and Richard Dreyfuss takes a rather Iago-like
turn as Dick Cheney. While some of the actors look remarkably like their
characters (the unrecognizable Thandie Newton as Condeleeza Rice is top of the
list), what's more important is that each actor seems to have created a complete
character so that their physical differences from these often-famous figures is
unimportant. W. is certainly one of the finest ensembles put together for
a film this decade.

These two simple facts make W. worth watching no matter what your
feelings about Bush or Stone might be.

Although I wasn't too happy with the presentation of George W. Bush, I have
little to complain about with the presentation of W. on Blu-ray disc. The
film's 2.35:1 transfer is unsurprisingly free of damage, and there appear to be
no difficulties with compression. The occasional dark scenes are free from
noise, while colors in the brighter scenes pop quite nicely. The film features
some of Stone's most subtle use of music, with only the occasional pop song and
diagetic sound on the DTS track. That means the 7.1 channels are a little
wasted, but it's a pleasing soundscape.

For extras, there's the typically informative commentary with Oliver Stone.
He's an excellent speaker and doesn't shy away from discussing his subject or
the film's production. Although it's a little early to make a definitive
statement, the next extra is "Dangerous Dynasty: The Bush Legacy,"
which inter-cuts news segments from the Bush administration with comments by
famous individuals like Howard Zinn and Gore Vidal. It's a little too short, but
provides some excellent insights into the context of the film. The other big
extra is a making-of entitled "No Stranger to Controversy: Oliver Stone's
George W." Here we get 16 minutes worth of interviews with Stone, Brolin,
and screenwriter Stanley Weiser, although this felt too short as well. There are
some deleted scenes with commentary by Stone, including an additional dream
sequence. Finally, the film's trailer finishes up the extras.

Closing Statement

Bush haters will likely be disappointed by W.'s refusal to lambaste
the former president. Bush lovers will likely be disappointed that there isn't
more "Rah-rah. We Love America" included in the film. The only people
likely to leave satisfied are film fans who could care less about Bush but want
to see some of the best actors in the business at the top of their game.
Although the extras feel a bit thin, this Blu-ray of W. is easy to
recommend on its technical merits.

The Verdict

W. is guilty of not revealing enough about its complicated subject,
although both Stone and his actors are acquitted on the merits of their
performances.